The drama began last year after Michaele, formerReal Housewives of DC star, decided to leave the “controlling” Tareq to runoff with Journey member Neal. In the $50 million lawsuit Tareq filed this week, he is claiming Neal is responsible for ruining some of the business endeavors he had with Michaele, by stealing his wife from him!

TMZ reported some of those deals included $150k to participate on the Australian version of DWTS as well as some other TV offers. But obviously like herpes and Paris Hilton white on rice, Michaele and Tareq are a package deal, and the TV networks didn’t want one without the other!

In an interview with E! Online, Michaele first defends her new man, stating he is NOT to blame for the demise of her marriage with Tareq. “It’s between Tareq and I, and the marriage is over because of the control I went through with him,” she says, adding that she felt very trapped in the marriage. “It really just needs to be, ‘This didn’t work, wish each other the best and move on with our lives.”

Neal also responded to Tareq’s claims that he tortured him with his penis by a) sending him a photo of it, and b) calling him to tell him “I was f–king your wife.”

The Journey guitarist makes it clear that he “never tormented” Tareq and when it comes to the $50 mil lawsuit figure, Neal reveals he “doesn’t have a clue” as to how Tareq came up with that number. “I could use an extra $50 [million] if somebody wants to lend it to me,” jokes Neal.

Neal adds that at the end of the day, all he really cares about is Michaele! “You can try to do whatever you wanna do, take every cent that I have, but you can’t take the love that I have for her,” he says. How romantical.

“Neal cares about me and loves me so much that he hated to see me hurting,” Michaele states. “And I’m grateful that he protects me and pulls me out of that hurt.”

And when it comes to Michaele’s gross participation in Journey’s new music video for their song “Resonate,” Tareq tells E! he is “hurt” by it. He adds: “. I am also very troubled that the rock band Journey is now promoting my wife’s adulterous affair with Neal Schon. I am especially upset and disappointed that they would release this video on Valentine’s Day. This day is meant to celebrate lifetime love and commitments, not celebrate those who cheat and abandon their marriages.”

Doesn’t appear to be an end in sight to this ongoing soap opera!

[Photos Credit: WENN]

TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THE LATEST? DO YOU THINK TAREQ HAS A CASE AGAINST MICHAELE AND NEAL? IS IT TIME FOR HIM TO MOVE ON?